RIGHTS

PARTNER

INTERVIEW ID

NARRATOR

INTERVIEW TITLE

Tsuguo "Ike" Ikeda Interview III

00:50:34
—
9 segments

DATE

October 20, 2000

LOCATION

Seattle, Washington

DESCRIPTION

Nisei male. Born August 15, 1924, in Portland, Oregon. Incarcerated at the North Portland Assembly Center and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Kept a diary beginning December, 1941, and through incarceration. Beginning as a teenager, was exceptionally active as a volunteer leader, first within a Japanese American church in Portland, later in camp with Federated Christian Church, school and service clubs, and throughout life. Graduated from Hunt High School and left Minidoka on indefinite work leave. Drafted in 1944; graduated from United States Military Intelligence Service Language School. After discharge, returned to Portland, Oregon, and graduated from college in 1949. One of the earliest Nisei to obtain Master of Social Work degree from University of Washington, 1951. Married, 1951, and had four children. Incarceration led him to resolve to work for social justice. In 1953, was one of the first Nisei hired as executive director of a nonprofit organization in the United States (outside the Japanese American community), and served at the Atlantic Street Center in Seattle for 33 years, leading its transformation from settlement house to social service agency. Worked to reduce racial discrimination. Promoted multi-racial, cross-cultural cooperation, equal opportunity and affirmative action in community, church, nonprofit, government and other arenas. Mentors and advises community members, including sharing a set of principles he developed based on values from his cultural heritage. Mr. Ikeda is the recipient of numerous awards, recognitions of service and honors for his professional and volunteer contributions to society.

(As a teenager prior to World War II, began keeping scrapbooks with newspaper articles and memorabilia, a lifetime habit.)

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of the Interior.